New Mexico State men pull away for 20-point win at Colorado State

With conference play set to begin later this week, New Mexico State improved to 3-0 against the Mountain West Conference with a 88-68 victory at Colorado State on Sunday.

NM State improved to 11-3 on the season and will open Western Athletic Conference play on Thursday at California Baptist.

“I’m proud of our effort and I thought we played well overall,” Aggies coach Chris Jans said in his postgame radio comments. “After the first six or seven minutes, I thought we were solid for the rest of the game.”

CJ Bobbitt scored eight consecutive points during a 22-2 Aggies run in the first half that gave NM State control of the game.

Bobbitt (22 points) scored 14 first half points, hitting a 3-pointer to tie the game at 20-20 to answer a 9-0 Colorado State run that gave the Rams an early 13-7 lead.

By the end of the Aggies’ run, a Terrell Brown 3-pointer, NM State led 35-22.

The Aggies led 39-26 at halftime after shooting 48 percent from the field (5 of 17 from 3-point range) and outrebounded Colorado State 23-14 with seven offensive rebounds.

Colorado State was 8 of 24 (33 percent) from the field in the first half and got off to a good start in the second half, but the Rams could not slow the Aggies.

The Rams closed to within eight in the second half, but NM State shot 55 percent in the second half. Brown scored 11 of his 18 points in the second half, hitting one of his four made 3-pointers during an 8-0 NM State run that opened a 74-56 lead with 6:23 to play.

“They made some shots to cut it to eight a couple times, but every time, (Brown) would make a big shot or (Bobbitt) would make a big shot,” Jans said. “We answered the bell when they tried to come back and then we were able to close them out.”

The Aggies finished the game shooting 13 of 34 (38 percent) from 3-point range and 52 percent from the field.

“We will continue to grind and rebound and defend, but it feels better when we are hitting shots and free throws,” Jans said. “I think if we continue to be consistent in those two areas, we will continue to win some games.”

Jans said Aggies center Eli Chuha was not with the team due to a family matter. Aggies post Ivan Aurrecoechea posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds as NM State out rebounded the Rams 37-26 with 13 offensive rebounds.